• Highly automated newspaper press
• Commitment to printed newspaper
• Special new newspaper format

WE-Druck in Oldenburg, Germany, has opted for a highly automated newspaper press from Koenig & Bauer for the first time with the investment in a Commander CL. The printshop can now pump out up to 110,000 four-colour newspapers per hour in the customers’ preferred format. “We upgraded our entire postpress equipment three years ago and the investment in a new newspaper press line was the next logical step. We were bowled over not just by the technology, but also by the team from Koenig & Bauer. The Commander CL will be the new heart of our printing house,” says Harold Grönke, managing director of Nordwest-Zeitung Verlagsgesellschaft. The company views this latest investment as an important step in producing its numerous print titles more efficiently and cost effectively, as well as meeting today’s demands for high quality. KBA-Digital & Web Solutions sales director Stefan Segger: “We are currently seeing a focus on practical and highly automated presses when it comes to new investments. And we have an outstanding reputation in these areas with our Commander CL, Commander CT and Cortina. The Commander CL is extremely popular with our customers at the moment given its high level of performance and flexibility.” The Commander CL is scheduled to come on stream in summer 2019. “Our talks with Koenig & Bauer were very constructive right from the very beginning. However, it was also important for us to visit print firms which operate Commander lines in order for us to get feedback. This was incredibly positive,” says Margit Schweizer, senior manager at WE-Druck.

Shortly after signing the contract (l-r): Stefan Hechler, head of plant technology WE-Druck; Harold Grönke, managing director WE-Druck; Günter Noll, sales manager KBA-Digital & Web; Margit Schweizer, head of newspaper postpress WE-Druck; Stefan Segger, sales director KBA-Digital & Web; and Rainer Neugebauer, head of web printing WE-Druck

Young, modern and independent printshop

WE-Druck is a division of the NWZ-Mediengruppe media group and has been on the market as an independent printing house since 1982. 80 employees currently make sure that more than 1.5 million newspapers are produced and some 7 million supplements are inserted. Alongside daily and weekly newspapers the Nordwest-Zeitung, the Ostfriesen-Zeitung and several Sunday titles, the company also prints various monthlies.

Highly automated, productive and easy to use

The Commander CL will have three four-high towers for four-back-four printing, two KF 5 jaw folders and three Pastomat C reelstands embedded in a Patras A automated logistics system. The extensive automation package, which includes RollerTronic roller locks, CleanTronic cylinder washing systems, colour and cut-off register controls, and automatic plate change, reduces makeready times, waste and operating and maintenance efforts to a minimum. The Commander CL will be controlled by an ErgoTronic console incorporating EasyTronic for optimal press start-up and automatic run-down, and embedded in a complete EAE workflow with an open interface architecture. The Koenig & Bauer MobileConsole, a Tablet compatible with industrial use as a fully mobile console with all operating functions, is also new and helpful. Press operators and maintenance personnel can make changes or corrections from any position at the press. Provision has been made for the future additions of an auto-mated colour measurement and control system, and a further printing tower.